Thanks to Don, Annette, and Stephen for their most helpful hints on the
"Magic Number." I'm going to try to track down the source of this
story (urban legend or not), and will report back to TIPS on what, if
anything, I find out. Thanks again for your gracious help. ...Scott
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
On 25 Aug 2005 at 13:26, Scott Lilienfeld wrote:
had long heard (from where I don't
know - source amnesia on my part) that George Miller's famous memory
work on the "Magic Number 7 plus or minus 2" played some role in the
telephone company's decision to limit phone numbers to 7 digits. <snip>Has
anyone else
heard of this supposed connection, and is there indeed any evidence for
its veracity? Or is it instead just a good urban legend?
Since I now have so much time on my hands, I did a little web browsing myself on
this intriguing question. Some sites do mention this connection, and at least one flatly
asserts that it's not true (without explanation or documentation--it's at
http://www.keller.com/articles/magic7.html
I also found a page summarizing Bell telephone history in the US. It says that the first
American city to use 7 digit calling was Wichita Falls in 1958. As Miller published his
article in 1956, it makes the claim of a connection at least plausible. But it seems that
seven character calling had been in effect for some time previous, but two of the
characters were letters, rather than digits (e.g. ELgin 1-1017). So it was only a small
step from two-letter, 5-digit calling to 7-digit calling, and if Miller's paper played a role,
it was likely only a minor one.
The webpage cites what is undoubtedly a most obscure source--Joel and Schindler,
A History of Engineering and Science in the Bell System: Switching Technology
(1925 -- 1975). But it might explain what considerations led to 7-digit dialing
The website is http://www.privateline.com/TelephoneHistory3A/numbers.html
Stephen
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Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax:(819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7
Canada
Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at
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Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology, Room 206
Emory University
532 N. Kilgo Circle
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Home Page: http://www.emory.edu/PSYCH/Faculty/lilienfeld.html
The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice:
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The Master in the Art of Living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his intellectual passions. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him – he is always doing both.
- Zen Buddhist text
(slightly modified)
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